Ok so this one is a little bit of a cheat, lets call Heather O'Rourke a Scream Princess for her run as Carol Anne in the Poltergeist series. This was the only movie in the original trilogy I had never seen and it seems I wasn't missing much. Its pretty terrible that they dropped nearly everybody from the previous films save for Carol Anne and Miss "this house is clean" Zelda Rubinstein. The script for this film is pretty garbage which also leads to some very bad acting (Tom Skerritt what happened man?) as well as odd choices to include a doctor character who keeps insisting that Carol Anne is a master hypnotist that is forcing them to all see the crazy Poltergeist stuff. The one thing that this film does have going for it is the occasional use of some clever practical effects, one moment in particular actually kind of got me. That being said it equals about 60 seconds of a 95 minute movie so no this one is not worth a watch, heck I'd rather watch Poltergeist II a couple more times at least that one has the worm and the original cast. This poltergeist sequel almost made me want to cancel my Amazon account.
What I really like about this movie is that I was thinking of this movie is bonkers. Then the movie took me by the hand, 'oh you sweet naive child - no this is bonkers.' I loved it.
This was a feast of scream queens. Curtis, Leigh, Barbeau, even Nancy Loomis, and of course my favourite scream queen Mr. Tom Atkins. I love Carpenter I love this movie.
Starring the quintessential Scream Queen Jamie Lee!
I enjoyed this one. The train setting and the way the killer constantly switched costumes kept the movie inventive. This feels of a higher class than many Slashers and by that I mean it's more subdued and focuses on suspense. The character development is also better than many of the period. There's a twist at the end that I didn't see coming. I'm not sure it makes much sense, and I know it's totally unnecessary, but I still didn't see it coming. That's cool.
I actually really enjoyed watching David Copperfield doing his magic show periodically throughout the film!
It's a double dose of Barbara Steele! A man kills his wife (Steele) and her lover because he caught them together. Turns out his wife left her fortune to her half-sister (also Steele). So, the man goes and marries her next. First wife comes back from the grave to take revenge. Another kind of slow moving film (been hitting a lot of those this Junesploitation), but it had a lot of crazy stuff going on plot-wise so I'd give a slight recommend to this one.
Anthology film features Debbie Rochon as a death row inmate telling her executioner 3 stories she's written. Rochon may not be much in the acting department, but she's an undeniable presence on screen. Unfortunately, because she's the "host" she doesn't feature in any of the 3 segments. The stories themselves are fairly predictable and dull. However, the middle one (called "White Trash Love Story") is so transparently awful it verges on satire. Some of the practical effects are decent, with one memorable "transformation" sequence.
Linda Blair plays "good girl" who comes across as obnoxiously self righteous. Suki Goodwin plays "bad girl" who's much more fun to watch even though she's little in the movie and is the most irresponsible person on the planet. She wakes up in the middle of the night to pop a quaalude and swig some jack daniels. Seriously.
The movie is way too long and pretty boring. The Gothic castle atmosphere would be fun if it wasn't for bad lighting and dull cinematography.
Maybe better suited on SciFi-Day 1 but I wanted to go with a not so common scream queen like Jamie Lee Curtis, so I picked Clea DuVall who over the years was in everything from The Faculty to American Horror Story. Sadly she was also in this mess of a movie, although in great company with Statham, Henstridge, Grier, Cassidy and Ice Cube. This was the first time I saw it since it´s opening in 2001. I didn´t like it even an ounce better than 15 years ago.
You mean because it couldn't be improved upon, right?... Right? I really have a soft spot for this movie but I'll admit that screaming demon, while he looks cool, is soooo annoying.
I´m sorry, but...wrong... ;-) I have a soft spot for every Carpenter movie because...Carpenter. Bits and pieces are interesting but all in all this one is still a bummer - as it was 15 years ago
I already have a 4-movie Prom Night boxset I found on the cheap, was just wondering if they're worth sitting through. I'll definitely see the second one for '80s Horror! day. Thanks, Patrick.
"Besides, brothers don't last long in situations like this."
Neve Campbell in the 2nd installment of Wes Craven's 4 part Scream series. The only one I've seen was Scream (1996), and it's been a while, but this seemed right on par with the original. There is the same self-referential humour, but this time a lot of it has to do with sequels. A sequel that's as good, or possibly better than the original? That alone warrants 5 stars!
I really didn't like this movie. I feel bad about that because I know it's considered a classic in the slasher genre. I thought it was very generic and tough to get through. I like the train setting but it was almost an afterthought, it could've taken place anywhere. All the kills happen off screen and you really only see the aftermath. One character just randomly gets killed without much explanation at all. The twist at the end is terrible and makes no sense. There's so many magic sequences. Like so many. It's like they got David Copperfield and were like well we gotta show him do his thing. Alot. The killer putting on different masks was kinda clever but they don't really do much with that either, it's just ok there he is wearing another mask. I dunno. Frustrated by this one. I'm glad people like it, maybe I'll try it again some day.
That's great! Im glad you had fun with it. I was watching a crappy quality version so that definitely didn't help. I liked jlc in the movie she's mostly always good.
Sometimes I watch something and think, "this is a mess, but it's definitely trying to be a movie." That's essentially where I land on EXORCIST 2. The POV locust stuff in Africa is bonkers, as is the weird Nurse Ratched mind meld machine. A crazy mess is always better than a cynical retread.
It's actually peaked my interest in the franchise enough to visit the other films. I've heard good things about EXORCIST 3, and the story of the dueling prequels is so insane that I want to see them just to compare.
First is a classic, the second a so-bad-it's-amazing trainwreck (Scary Movie Month commentary track, Patrick, stat... after "Pieces," of course) and the third a solid movie that is undermined by inevitable comparisons to the original "Exorcist" (which it's not trying to match) and studio meddling of the worst kind. Still, "Exorcist III" is worth seeing just for THE SCENE (you'll know which one when you feel you life coming out of your throat for a hot second).
Totally agree with J.M. here. Heretic is just a big pile of crazy nonsense, but it´s also a fascinating nonsense I might have watched more than 10 times over the years. Exorcist 3 is clearly butchered by the studio Morgan Creek, btw the same guys that butchered Clive Barker´s Nightbreed, but it´s still amazingly good, has great performances and some real scares plus THAT SCENE. The Renny Harlin/Paul Schrader sequels from 2004/2005 are pure bullshit, even wasting the great Stellan Skarsgard, again because of endless interfering from Morgan Creek.
"Angela is having a party, Jason and Freddy are too scared to come...but you'll have a hell of a time." That was the tagline for this one, and when I was a kid it totally sold me. Of course, I was disappointed because Jason & Freddy weren't in the actual movie, but then again I was an idiot. The movie itself is actually a blast.
A group of teens gathers together for a Halloween party that gets taken over by evil demons (this is what happens when you don't give out the good candy). It's energetic, stylish, and gruesome in a way that's clearly trying to ape Sam Raimi's signature style. While it's not as successful as his work, it's still a ton of fun and has plenty of memorable setpieces, arguably the most memorable of which involves scream queen Linnea Quigley and a tube of lipstick. Yowza.
To be honest I own them all because I'm a completist or an obsessive or most likely both but this is the one I revisit the least, I feel i am maybe changing my taste the last ten years in film, this time it played like the horror classic a lot of people see it as, in the past i would of rather of watched 2 or 3, it felt perfect for Screamqueens as the final act is pretty much all screaming, I watched it on dvd and it felt right, I'm not sure a pristine bluray would add anything and it may possibly even detract? A true classic horror that needs patience and like a fine wine gets better with age
Hehe - I won't ask what itch this film may scratch!!
Felissa Rose (Angela) gives the scream to end all screams of any scream Queen. The most memorable scream in movie history? Certainly the final shot is NEVER forgotten!
She did also star in many many subsequent horror films to qualify her as a Scream Queen!
WITCHTRAP (1989) Starring Linnea Quigley! It’s the a-group-of-mismatched-psychics-spend-the-night-in-a-creepy-house-to-find-proof-of-ghosts thing. These poor actors are really struggling with all the mumbo jumbo dialogue about auras and spectral images and electromagnetic fields and whatnot. Our girl Linnea fares better because she’s the sarcastic, wisecracking one. A few ghoulish death scenes make this one above average.
DEMON SEED (1982) Starring Britt Ekland! She’s a woman in an unhappy marriage, whose loneliness opens the door for a supernatural spirit to haunt her. This one’s all artsy and “adult,” taking itself way too serious. If the director were here, he’d probably say, “Sure it’s horror, but it’s REALLY about their relationship.”
KILL THE SCREAM QUEEN (2004) Starring nobody! Total Z-grade bottom-barrel scrapings.
That's what it's called on Amazon Instant, where I watched it. Wikipedia informs me that the alternate titles are Demon Rage, Dark Eyes, Satan's Mistress, and Fury of the Succubus.
It's not the 1977 Julie Christie movie, obviously.
This was a joy to watch. The story sucks you in and the tension ramps up nicely until the excellent ending. Loved it.
Btw, what's Tom Atkins' secret? I thought it was the moustache, but here it takes him mere minutes to get JLC into the sack without one. I'm baffled by that.
It is an amazing movie. But yeah Tom Atkins is a dude beyond all logic and measure. But it works, I just loved the casual way he puts his arm around Curtis when they are walking down the peir, its very Atkins.
I can't tell you what a pleasant surprise this was. I'm not sure if Catherine Munro is a Scream Queen but she plays a Scream Queen in it. Also, she's ridiculously hot. It's about a middle-aged cab driver who's obsessed with a very popular Horror actress. He wants to direct her in his own movie and will do anything to make it happen. It's clever and weird and decently acted. The end is crazy and preposterous but I loved it. Most Troma films are nearly unwatchable but this one is great. Maybe my favorite of Junesploitation so far.
I met Caroline and she was lovely, I miss Joe Spinnel, gone far to young, I like him in Maniac a lot but he is also superb in this film, that's his real mother in this film too if I remember correctly, what a good choice, I'm glad you liked it
Steve Miner's FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2 (1981, 87 min.) on DVD.
What makes a great Scream Queen? For my money it's the same thing that makes a good "Die Hard" movie: the hero doesn't want to be anywhere near the situation he/she finds him/herself in, he/she just happens to have the smarts, luck and self-confidence to survive the moment when all hell breaks loose and a knife/pitchfork/machete-wielding brute attacks. That's where actors like Jamie Lee Curtis and Linnea Quigley, who have done this so many times they have that latter Bruce Willis invincibility aura around their characters, can't help but let me down. But Amy Steele? She did it a couple times ("April Fools Day") and got out, which only makes her turn as Ginny in this flick all the more memorable. Having original "Friday the 13th" final girl Adrienne King at the start (only time two "Friday" final girls have been in the same flick) is icing on the cake.
This is my favorite final girl performance of all time in my favorite "Friday" flick (which isn't saying much), and her performance remains fresh every time I revisit it because Ginny feels like such a real person. She's naturally pretty, gets laid with Paul, drinks beer and feels for poor Jason (but not enough to not try to dispatch him a few times... chainsaw-wielding Ginny for the win! :-P). She's also resourceful enough to be physically and mentally tough, so much that Paul feels confident enough to handle her the sharp portion of the pitch fork at the end. Granted, sackhead Jason here is such a bad-luck klutz I half-expected to see Bill Bixby underneath the sack at the end. Still, for my money Ginny belongs in the Mount Rushmore of Scream Queens of my movie-loving heart (awww!).
The only movie starring all three of the major 80s scream queens (Linnea Quigley, Michelle Bauer, and Brinke Stevens,) making this essentially the sleaze equivalent of House of Long Shadows. Shot in four days on leftover sets from DeCoteau's even better Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama. It's all about intentionally bad jokes and T&A, with a great appearance from Dukey Flyswatter in the opening doing a fantasically offensive Indian accent. When The Simpsons did gag movies like "School of Hard Knockers", this was the stuff they were parodying. Trailer way up at the top of the page.
My second viewing and I enjoyed it even more this time. I think the hook worked a bit too well on me the first time round as I spent half the time searching the edges of the screen.
It's a fun concept and Maika Monroe is just brilliant. A very rewarding revisit (and pick me up after Survival of the Dead!)
Like with all my Junesploitation picks, I'd never seen Psycho to my shame and went with the O.G. scream queen, Janet Leigh, i knew everything about the film going in because it is so engrained in pop culture but it didn't stop me from really enjoying the film, Hitchcock just knows how to create tension and the last scare is one that will stay with me. Really enjoyed it.
It's great when you can share movies like that. My boy and I watched Braindead, he had seen it before and kept looking to see what my reaction was. Though Braindead is not as sweet.
Female Trouble (1974, dir. John Waters, on DVD) – First Time Viewing: Divine aka Harris Milstead is a scream queen, right? I may have done the category wrong but this was a great exploitation movie. The follow up to legendary Pink Flamingos isn’t quite as incendiary or classic, but it’s even funnier! Divine/Milstead is a revelation in a dual role (at one point he even assaults him/herself). The regular Waters rogues gallery are great as usual. Your mileage may vary, but I’ve enjoyed getting into Waters’ movies. For as twisted and misanthropic as his movies are, there’s always heart behind it in some weird way. Best quote of Junesploitation so far for me:
“I've DONE everything a mother can do: I've locked her in her room, I've beat her with the car aerial. Nothing changes her. It's HARD being a loving mother!” (5 out of 5 Griers)
Another first for me. I kinda loved it. Sets the offbeat tone immediately and never wavers. It's also got tongue-in-cheek '80s crack epidemic commentary and more exploding bodies than Spinal Tap. It may not have the classic final girl character the "Scream Queen" category suggests, but sexy stitched up ladies and nightmare breast monsters are people too.
Didn't have a lot of free time today, so had to go short and convenient. You know the drill. One of the best, featuring a whole lot of Jamie Lee squealing.
Caroline Williams. What can ya say? She's cute, adorable and has a disturbing yet sexy? scene with a Chainsaw. I love this movie and can't really explain why. It's creepy yet funny. Stretch is one of if not my favorite final girls and Chop Top is one of my favorite horror characters. The radio station scene is really somethen and contains an amazing jump scare by Mr Leatherface himself. And the Chainsaw duel at the end I mean come on. Great movie.
Definitely more laughs than anticipated, though a couple scenes were a bit of a grind to get through. Patrick absolutely had a poster of Linnea Quigley on his ceiling in the late 80s (... and maybe still today?).
Definitely more laughs than anticipated, though a couple scenes were a bit of a grind to get through. Patrick absolutely had a poster of Linnea Quigley on his ceiling in the late 80s (... and maybe still today?).
I also watched Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers, which I had never seen. I'm much more of a Michelle Bauer man, Frank, which is part of the reason I chose this one, though I'll concede that Linnea Quigley is pretty entertaining here. I did not love the movie at all, which even at 75 minutes barely feels like a movie. The women are great but the thing feels so cheap and unambitious that it only lives up to its admittedly fantastic title in a couple of scenes (including one memorable bit that predates American Psycho by 10 years). I think I only laughed once at a throwaway shot of a kid sitting at a bar. I was reminded that I am not a big Fred Olen Ray fan.
Featuring Stephanie Beacham who also appeared in horror movies such as And Now the Screaming Starts! (which involves impregnation by ghost) and Inseminoid (which involves impregnation by alien). There's also a brief appearance from Caroline Munro. I wasn't really expecting much out of this movie but what other time than Junesploitation would I have a better excuse to watch a Hammer Dracula movie that was made and takes place in the 70's complete with a 70's exploitation movie score that feels tonally out of place. I can't pretend that this is a good movie, but I did at least have a good time with it.
Junesploitation is a time for fun horror! This isn't it.
My girl Barbara Crampton gives a knock out performance, as does the always brilliant Jeffery Combs, in this deep, dark, and extremely sad family drama. Oh, and it's also a horror film. And it's unbelievably horrifying. I wasn't prepared for this. This movie stressed me out.
I remember that catching me off guard too, a horror movie that's essentially about a marriage falling apart and a man dealing with his demons. There just happens to be a castle freak involved. I'm a big fan.
Reanimator is still my favorite. I think that's just a pretty perfect movie. I've only seen From Beyond once so once I give it a few more looks I bet it will climb up there.
Reanimator is absolutely perfect. From Beyond really freaked me out more when I first saw it because it was so completely unlike anything I'd ever seen. It's even more original and bizaare. Plus, Ken Foree. He makes everything better.
From Beyond rules. Ken Foree is the shit. He's one of my favorite genre actors I could watch him in anything. A big reason why I love Leatherface Chainsaw 3 is because he's in it.
Four bros hunt women for sport, but little do they know, their next victim is actually training to be an assassin!
I think the movie does some interesting things in trying to subvert the slasher genre and the whole girls getting killed off one by one thing. But ultimately, to quote F this Movie! "It's fine." (There is one super satisfying kill with an ax, so it's got that going for it) Abigail Breslin does scream at one point though, so I'm counting it for today...
I'm so glad I gave this a second look. I watched it awhile back and wasn't crazy about it but this time around boy did I really like it. It's so much fun! The demon effects are really impressive and there's some really creepy stuff like when demon Angela does her dance in front of the fire which is really scary and hypnotic. Whenever you see her floating down the hallways it gives me chills. I'm pretty sure Linnea Quigley is an actual demon so great casting there. I love that it takes place on Halloween so this might be a go to Halloween movie for me now. I remember the vhs cover of this scaring me as a kid and man its a really great cover. Look it up. The music also rocks, the theme is now my ring tone. Great ending to scream queen day.
The great Barbara Steele, the Italian Scream Queen, plays great dual roles in this atmospheric and enjoyable Gothic horror streaming on Amazon Prime. J.B wrote about this one last year in his Overlook column. Worth seeing.
Sort of counts for multiple days, like zombies, and scream queens (Marley Shelton, amirite?), and cars. I've seen some things, but I ain't never seen a one-legged stripper.
Black Sunday (1960, Dir. Mario Bava) - First viewing. A chance to see only my second Bava movie and scream queen Barbara Steele? Sold. I think this is a movie that will grow on me as my appreciation for Bava grows. It seems to me (and I could be so wrong here) that Bava is a way more subtle filmmaker than an Argento or Fulci. Some really interesting and startling imagery and great black and white photography. I found the pacing to be slow but then again that may be a reflection of the era (ERA) and the gothic style tale.
OOO SO META! It was really annoying me at first, but eventually I got over it and just let myself be entertained. That car scene is incredibly tense. And I thought Lindsay Fünke might show up in a Gangie movie, but I never expected her in a Scream movie. That was pretty distracting.
Jamie Lee Curtis reprises her role as Laurie Strode. Mr. Myers comes back. Killing ensues. She finally stabs/kills him, and he falls off of a balcony. The End. Until it isn't! The last little bit is crazy/non-nonsensical. Overall, it's fairly entertaining. Now that Myers doesn't have a head, this series is concluded. Until it isn't! 5 stars for the decapitation of "evil", rather than his body just disappearing like usual.
This was way better than I expected! The cinematography and camerawork are not as iconic as the first film, but they still feel like an elaboration of the original movie's look. All the background stuff and origins revelations on Michael Myers is pretty weak, but easy to ignore. Still the mean spirited and raw feel of the movie are wonderful. If the first film's climax takes place in the early evening, this is the nauseous 2am that follows.
This was way better than I expected! The cinematography and camerawork are not as iconic as the first film, but they still feel like an elaboration of the original movie's look. All the background stuff and origins revelations on Michael Myers is pretty weak, but easy to ignore. Still the mean spirited and raw feel of the movie are wonderful. If the first film's climax takes place in the early evening, this is the nauseous 2am that follows.
Re-Animator (1985): It's been too long since I had seen this. I forgot how insane it is. Super over-the-top in the best way (reminded me a bit of Dead Alive -- high praise). Also, Barbara Crampton is the best.
Poltergeist III (1988)
ReplyDeleteOk so this one is a little bit of a cheat, lets call Heather O'Rourke a Scream Princess for her run as Carol Anne in the Poltergeist series. This was the only movie in the original trilogy I had never seen and it seems I wasn't missing much. Its pretty terrible that they dropped nearly everybody from the previous films save for Carol Anne and Miss "this house is clean" Zelda Rubinstein. The script for this film is pretty garbage which also leads to some very bad acting (Tom Skerritt what happened man?) as well as odd choices to include a doctor character who keeps insisting that Carol Anne is a master hypnotist that is forcing them to all see the crazy Poltergeist stuff.
The one thing that this film does have going for it is the occasional use of some clever practical effects, one moment in particular actually kind of got me. That being said it equals about 60 seconds of a 95 minute movie so no this one is not worth a watch, heck I'd rather watch Poltergeist II a couple more times at least that one has the worm and the original cast. This poltergeist sequel almost made me want to cancel my Amazon account.
Well nice work Tom, you watched it so that we don't have too!
DeleteI'll stay clear!
Huh. The folks at Killer POV are fans of this so I've been meaning to check it out. It seems it's a bit divisive!
DeleteI think it's worth checking out. There are some pretty great practical effects.
DeleteRe-Animator (1985)
ReplyDeleteBecause it is all about Crampton!
What I really like about this movie is that I was thinking of this movie is bonkers. Then the movie took me by the hand, 'oh you sweet naive child - no this is bonkers.' I loved it.
There's no bonkers like Stuart Gordon bonkers. Wait till you see 'From Beyond'!
DeleteCastle Freak is also good batshit Stuart
DeleteI really really like Stuarts King of the Ants, it got some truely scary moments, George Wendt is very intimidating,
DeleteThanks! I am going to have to seek those out. What I am only a week into Junespolitation and have learnt so much.
DeleteThe Fog (1980)
ReplyDeleteThis was a feast of scream queens. Curtis, Leigh, Barbeau, even Nancy Loomis, and of course my favourite scream queen Mr. Tom Atkins. I love Carpenter I love this movie.
Never seen The Fog, but seeing it either later today or on Masters of Horror! day. Exciting!
DeleteTerror Train (1980)
ReplyDeleteStarring the quintessential Scream Queen Jamie Lee!
I enjoyed this one. The train setting and the way the killer constantly switched costumes kept the movie inventive. This feels of a higher class than many Slashers and by that I mean it's more subdued and focuses on suspense. The character development is also better than many of the period. There's a twist at the end that I didn't see coming. I'm not sure it makes much sense, and I know it's totally unnecessary, but I still didn't see it coming. That's cool.
I actually really enjoyed watching David Copperfield doing his magic show periodically throughout the film!
Hey we picked the same movie, I'm watching this right now. I respectfully disagree about the magic scenes, Im kinda hating them at the moment haha
DeleteI dig magic shows. haha I just thought it adds some extra fun.
DeleteNightmare Castle (1965) (first time viewing)
ReplyDeleteIt's a double dose of Barbara Steele! A man kills his wife (Steele) and her lover because he caught them together. Turns out his wife left her fortune to her half-sister (also Steele). So, the man goes and marries her next. First wife comes back from the grave to take revenge. Another kind of slow moving film (been hitting a lot of those this Junesploitation), but it had a lot of crazy stuff going on plot-wise so I'd give a slight recommend to this one.
Hellblock 13 (1999)
ReplyDeleteAnthology film features Debbie Rochon as a death row inmate telling her executioner 3 stories she's written. Rochon may not be much in the acting department, but she's an undeniable presence on screen. Unfortunately, because she's the "host" she doesn't feature in any of the 3 segments. The stories themselves are fairly predictable and dull. However, the middle one (called "White Trash Love Story") is so transparently awful it verges on satire. Some of the practical effects are decent, with one memorable "transformation" sequence.
Hell Night (1981)
ReplyDeleteLinda Blair plays "good girl" who comes across as obnoxiously self righteous. Suki Goodwin plays "bad girl" who's much more fun to watch even though she's little in the movie and is the most irresponsible person on the planet. She wakes up in the middle of the night to pop a quaalude and swig some jack daniels. Seriously.
The movie is way too long and pretty boring. The Gothic castle atmosphere would be fun if it wasn't for bad lighting and dull cinematography.
The movie is 'meh'. You can quote me on that.
I almost watched this too! Lol glad you saved me some time I think I'll skip it
DeleteGhosts of Mars (2001)
ReplyDeleteMaybe better suited on SciFi-Day 1 but I wanted to go with a not so common scream queen like Jamie Lee Curtis, so I picked Clea DuVall who over the years was in everything from The Faculty to American Horror Story.
Sadly she was also in this mess of a movie, although in great company with Statham, Henstridge, Grier, Cassidy and Ice Cube.
This was the first time I saw it since it´s opening in 2001. I didn´t like it even an ounce better than 15 years ago.
You mean because it couldn't be improved upon, right?... Right? I really have a soft spot for this movie but I'll admit that screaming demon, while he looks cool, is soooo annoying.
DeleteI´m sorry, but...wrong... ;-)
DeleteI have a soft spot for every Carpenter movie because...Carpenter. Bits and pieces are interesting but all in all this one is still a bummer - as it was 15 years ago
Prom Night (1980)
ReplyDeleteAn unremarkable whodunnit slasher, but JLC is an enjoyable screen presence and it's nice to see Leslie Nielsen outside of a ZAZ movie.
That dance number was so 1980.
Are the sequels any good?
Prom Night II is really fun and nothing like the first movie at all. Definitely worth tracking down, maybe for '80s horror or a Free Space day.
DeleteI already have a 4-movie Prom Night boxset I found on the cheap, was just wondering if they're worth sitting through. I'll definitely see the second one for '80s Horror! day. Thanks, Patrick.
DeleteProm Night III is a straight-up comedy, but it's silly fun if you keep your expectations very, very low.
DeleteScream 2 (1997)
ReplyDelete"Besides, brothers don't last long in situations like this."
Neve Campbell in the 2nd installment of Wes Craven's 4 part Scream series. The only one I've seen was Scream (1996), and it's been a while, but this seemed right on par with the original. There is the same self-referential humour, but this time a lot of it has to do with sequels.
A sequel that's as good, or possibly better than the original? That alone warrants 5 stars!
Terror Train (1980)
ReplyDeleteI really didn't like this movie. I feel bad about that because I know it's considered a classic in the slasher genre. I thought it was very generic and tough to get through. I like the train setting but it was almost an afterthought, it could've taken place anywhere. All the kills happen off screen and you really only see the aftermath. One character just randomly gets killed without much explanation at all. The twist at the end is terrible and makes no sense. There's so many magic sequences. Like so many. It's like they got David Copperfield and were like well we gotta show him do his thing. Alot. The killer putting on different masks was kinda clever but they don't really do much with that either, it's just ok there he is wearing another mask. I dunno. Frustrated by this one. I'm glad people like it, maybe I'll try it again some day.
I totally get it. It is generic, but I just didn't mind and had fun. Plus I just love watching JLC. She's awesome.
DeleteThe twist is nonsense though, but I thought the actor was terrific at playing crazy. I believed he was very mentally ill.
That's great! Im glad you had fun with it. I was watching a crappy quality version so that definitely didn't help. I liked jlc in the movie she's mostly always good.
DeleteEXORCIST 2: THE HERETIC (1977):
ReplyDeleteSometimes I watch something and think, "this is a mess, but it's definitely trying to be a movie." That's essentially where I land on EXORCIST 2. The POV locust stuff in Africa is bonkers, as is the weird Nurse Ratched mind meld machine. A crazy mess is always better than a cynical retread.
It's actually peaked my interest in the franchise enough to visit the other films. I've heard good things about EXORCIST 3, and the story of the dueling prequels is so insane that I want to see them just to compare.
Piqued! Piqued my interest.
DeleteExorcist 3 is really good you should definitely check that one out. It has some great scares.
DeleteFirst is a classic, the second a so-bad-it's-amazing trainwreck (Scary Movie Month commentary track, Patrick, stat... after "Pieces," of course) and the third a solid movie that is undermined by inevitable comparisons to the original "Exorcist" (which it's not trying to match) and studio meddling of the worst kind. Still, "Exorcist III" is worth seeing just for THE SCENE (you'll know which one when you feel you life coming out of your throat for a hot second).
DeleteEverytime I see the Exorcist 2 mentioned I think of JB
Delete"The pazookuu will lead us to pachuukoo"
It doesn't really matter how those words are spelled, it still makes me smile
I just ordered a BD boxset of all five movies. Have only seen the original. Looking forward to the sequels. Maybe I'll save it for October...
DeleteWe need Kukomo to get to Pazuzu!
DeleteTotally agree with J.M. here.
DeleteHeretic is just a big pile of crazy nonsense, but it´s also a fascinating nonsense I might have watched more than 10 times over the years.
Exorcist 3 is clearly butchered by the studio Morgan Creek, btw the same guys that butchered Clive Barker´s Nightbreed, but it´s still amazingly good, has great performances and some real scares plus THAT SCENE.
The Renny Harlin/Paul Schrader sequels from 2004/2005 are pure bullshit, even wasting the great Stellan Skarsgard, again because of endless interfering from Morgan Creek.
Night of the Demons (1988)
ReplyDelete"Angela is having a party, Jason and Freddy are too scared to come...but you'll have a hell of a time." That was the tagline for this one, and when I was a kid it totally sold me. Of course, I was disappointed because Jason & Freddy weren't in the actual movie, but then again I was an idiot. The movie itself is actually a blast.
A group of teens gathers together for a Halloween party that gets taken over by evil demons (this is what happens when you don't give out the good candy). It's energetic, stylish, and gruesome in a way that's clearly trying to ape Sam Raimi's signature style. While it's not as successful as his work, it's still a ton of fun and has plenty of memorable setpieces, arguably the most memorable of which involves scream queen Linnea Quigley and a tube of lipstick. Yowza.
I thought you were in a hurry!
ReplyDeleteTexas chainsaw massacre 1974
To be honest I own them all because I'm a completist or an obsessive or most likely both but this is the one I revisit the least, I feel i am maybe changing my taste the last ten years in film, this time it played like the horror classic a lot of people see it as, in the past i would of rather of watched 2 or 3, it felt perfect for Screamqueens as the final act is pretty much all screaming, I watched it on dvd and it felt right, I'm not sure a pristine bluray would add anything and it may possibly even detract?
A true classic horror that needs patience and like a fine wine gets better with age
Sleepaway Camp (1983) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086320/
ReplyDeleteAlmost certainly in my Top 10 of Pedo Chef movies.
Here’s my scary movie month review :-
That Angela sure is a strange girl.
Personal Rating 3/5
Clever twist of the Scream Queens category. Probably one of my favorite horror movies. Really scratches some weird itch of mine.
DeleteHehe - I won't ask what itch this film may scratch!!
DeleteFelissa Rose (Angela) gives the scream to end all screams of any scream Queen. The most memorable scream in movie history?
Certainly the final shot is NEVER forgotten!
She did also star in many many subsequent horror films to qualify her as a Scream Queen!
WITCHTRAP (1989)
ReplyDeleteStarring Linnea Quigley! It’s the a-group-of-mismatched-psychics-spend-the-night-in-a-creepy-house-to-find-proof-of-ghosts thing. These poor actors are really struggling with all the mumbo jumbo dialogue about auras and spectral images and electromagnetic fields and whatnot. Our girl Linnea fares better because she’s the sarcastic, wisecracking one. A few ghoulish death scenes make this one above average.
DEMON SEED (1982)
Starring Britt Ekland! She’s a woman in an unhappy marriage, whose loneliness opens the door for a supernatural spirit to haunt her. This one’s all artsy and “adult,” taking itself way too serious. If the director were here, he’d probably say, “Sure it’s horror, but it’s REALLY about their relationship.”
KILL THE SCREAM QUEEN (2004)
Starring nobody! Total Z-grade bottom-barrel scrapings.
Demon Seed? Are you sure that's the title?
DeleteThat's what it's called on Amazon Instant, where I watched it. Wikipedia informs me that the alternate titles are Demon Rage, Dark Eyes, Satan's Mistress, and Fury of the Succubus.
DeleteIt's not the 1977 Julie Christie movie, obviously.
The Fog (1980)
ReplyDeleteThis was a joy to watch. The story sucks you in and the tension ramps up nicely until the excellent ending. Loved it.
Btw, what's Tom Atkins' secret? I thought it was the moustache, but here it takes him mere minutes to get JLC into the sack without one. I'm baffled by that.
The Tom Atkins Secret Technique to Endless Women is....
DeleteHe's Tom Atkins.
Damn. I was hoping it was something more easily copied.
DeleteYou could always try the Atkins diet, but I don't think you'll like the results (which will invariably vary). ;-)
DeleteYou can't have Tom Atkins without Tom Atkins.
DeleteIt is an amazing movie. But yeah Tom Atkins is a dude beyond all logic and measure. But it works, I just loved the casual way he puts his arm around Curtis when they are walking down the peir, its very Atkins.
DeleteWhat´s the exact line from the Saturday sleepover podcasT "Tom Atkins proves that every man can be leading man material"? ;-)
DeleteThe Last Horror Film (1982)
ReplyDeleteThe. Best. Troma. Film. Period.
I can't tell you what a pleasant surprise this was. I'm not sure if Catherine Munro is a Scream Queen but she plays a Scream Queen in it. Also, she's ridiculously hot. It's about a middle-aged cab driver who's obsessed with a very popular Horror actress. He wants to direct her in his own movie and will do anything to make it happen. It's clever and weird and decently acted. The end is crazy and preposterous but I loved it. Most Troma films are nearly unwatchable but this one is great. Maybe my favorite of Junesploitation so far.
I met Caroline and she was lovely, I miss Joe Spinnel, gone far to young, I like him in Maniac a lot but he is also superb in this film, that's his real mother in this film too if I remember correctly, what a good choice, I'm glad you liked it
DeleteAwesome! Been holding off on this one but bumpin' it towards the top of the list now.
DeleteSteve Miner's FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2 (1981, 87 min.) on DVD.
ReplyDeleteWhat makes a great Scream Queen? For my money it's the same thing that makes a good "Die Hard" movie: the hero doesn't want to be anywhere near the situation he/she finds him/herself in, he/she just happens to have the smarts, luck and self-confidence to survive the moment when all hell breaks loose and a knife/pitchfork/machete-wielding brute attacks. That's where actors like Jamie Lee Curtis and Linnea Quigley, who have done this so many times they have that latter Bruce Willis invincibility aura around their characters, can't help but let me down. But Amy Steele? She did it a couple times ("April Fools Day") and got out, which only makes her turn as Ginny in this flick all the more memorable. Having original "Friday the 13th" final girl Adrienne King at the start (only time two "Friday" final girls have been in the same flick) is icing on the cake.
This is my favorite final girl performance of all time in my favorite "Friday" flick (which isn't saying much), and her performance remains fresh every time I revisit it because Ginny feels like such a real person. She's naturally pretty, gets laid with Paul, drinks beer and feels for poor Jason (but not enough to not try to dispatch him a few times... chainsaw-wielding Ginny for the win! :-P). She's also resourceful enough to be physically and mentally tough, so much that Paul feels confident enough to handle her the sharp portion of the pitch fork at the end. Granted, sackhead Jason here is such a bad-luck klutz I half-expected to see Bill Bixby underneath the sack at the end. Still, for my money Ginny belongs in the Mount Rushmore of Scream Queens of my movie-loving heart (awww!).
Scream Queen Double Feature!
ReplyDeleteTHE GUEST (2014) & IT FOLLOWS (2015)
Simply being in these 2 films alone is enough for me to dub the lovely & talented Maika Monroe as a 21st century Scream Queen.
She is the best.
Both of these films are amazing & two of the finest genre entries in the last decade.
For me, this is PRECISELY the sort of thing Junesploitation is all about -- it doesn't get any better.
Can't argue with that, nice double bill
DeleteNice! I was worried I was sort of cheating watching It Follows. Amazing double bill.
Delete2 of my favorite movies this century(no bullshit).
DeleteNightmare Sisters (1988, dir. David DeCoteau)
ReplyDeleteThe only movie starring all three of the major 80s scream queens (Linnea Quigley, Michelle Bauer, and Brinke Stevens,) making this essentially the sleaze equivalent of House of Long Shadows. Shot in four days on leftover sets from DeCoteau's even better Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama. It's all about intentionally bad jokes and T&A, with a great appearance from Dukey Flyswatter in the opening doing a fantasically offensive Indian accent. When The Simpsons did gag movies like "School of Hard Knockers", this was the stuff they were parodying. Trailer way up at the top of the page.
It Follows (2015)
ReplyDeleteMy second viewing and I enjoyed it even more this time. I think the hook worked a bit too well on me the first time round as I spent half the time searching the edges of the screen.
It's a fun concept and Maika Monroe is just brilliant. A very rewarding revisit (and pick me up after Survival of the Dead!)
Psycho - 1960
ReplyDeleteLike with all my Junesploitation picks, I'd never seen Psycho to my shame and went with the O.G. scream queen, Janet Leigh, i knew everything about the film going in because it is so engrained in pop culture but it didn't stop me from really enjoying the film, Hitchcock just knows how to create tension and the last scare is one that will stay with me. Really enjoyed it.
Definitely one of my all time favorites. I've probably seen it 20-30 times and I find something new to love every time.
DeleteNight of the Comet (1984): I love this movie, it is wacky, smart and fun. Another one where my girfriend joined :)
ReplyDeleteIt's great when you can share movies like that. My boy and I watched Braindead, he had seen it before and kept looking to see what my reaction was. Though Braindead is not as sweet.
DeleteI just watched that last night! It's a really special movie.
DeleteCool Lindsay :) I agree.
DeleteAnd yes Daniel! it is very unique and that is always nice to find!
Cool Lindsay :) I agree.
DeleteAnd yes Daniel! it is very unique and that is always nice to find!
Female Trouble (1974, dir. John Waters, on DVD) – First Time Viewing: Divine aka Harris Milstead is a scream queen, right? I may have done the category wrong but this was a great exploitation movie. The follow up to legendary Pink Flamingos isn’t quite as incendiary or classic, but it’s even funnier! Divine/Milstead is a revelation in a dual role (at one point he even assaults him/herself). The regular Waters rogues gallery are great as usual. Your mileage may vary, but I’ve enjoyed getting into Waters’ movies. For as twisted and misanthropic as his movies are, there’s always heart behind it in some weird way. Best quote of Junesploitation so far for me:
ReplyDelete“I've DONE everything a mother can do: I've locked her in her room, I've beat her with the car aerial. Nothing changes her. It's HARD being a loving mother!” (5 out of 5 Griers)
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ReplyDeleteFrankenhooker (1990)
ReplyDeleteAnother first for me. I kinda loved it. Sets the offbeat tone immediately and never wavers. It's also got tongue-in-cheek '80s crack epidemic commentary and more exploding bodies than Spinal Tap. It may not have the classic final girl character the "Scream Queen" category suggests, but sexy stitched up ladies and nightmare breast monsters are people too.
I saw this for the first time last year and I thought it was fantastic. Henenlotter did Basket Case as well. That's a must see if you haven't.
DeleteCarrie (1976)
ReplyDeleteDidn't know gym was a first period class.
This movie disturbs me more than scares me. That mother creeps the absolute fuck out of me. Maybe I should call my mom.
Ha! I see what you did there sir.
DeleteHalloween (1978)
ReplyDeleteDidn't have a lot of free time today, so had to go short and convenient. You know the drill. One of the best, featuring a whole lot of Jamie Lee squealing.
"The keys. The keyyysssss"
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ReplyDeleteYou can't go wrong with that choice.
DeleteA Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985, dir. Jack Sholder) - first viewing
ReplyDeleteMark Patton! (First male scream queen? I'll roll with it)
By turns woefully misguided, kind of hysterical, and oddly effective - overall not unwatchable. Also, exploding parakeets.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986)
ReplyDeleteCaroline Williams. What can ya say? She's cute, adorable and has a disturbing yet sexy? scene with a Chainsaw. I love this movie and can't really explain why. It's creepy yet funny. Stretch is one of if not my favorite final girls and Chop Top is one of my favorite horror characters. The radio station scene is really somethen and contains an amazing jump scare by Mr Leatherface himself. And the Chainsaw duel at the end I mean come on. Great movie.
Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers (1988)
ReplyDeleteDefinitely more laughs than anticipated, though a couple scenes were a bit of a grind to get through. Patrick absolutely had a poster of Linnea Quigley on his ceiling in the late 80s (... and maybe still today?).
Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers (1988)
ReplyDeleteDefinitely more laughs than anticipated, though a couple scenes were a bit of a grind to get through. Patrick absolutely had a poster of Linnea Quigley on his ceiling in the late 80s (... and maybe still today?).
I also watched Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers, which I had never seen. I'm much more of a Michelle Bauer man, Frank, which is part of the reason I chose this one, though I'll concede that Linnea Quigley is pretty entertaining here. I did not love the movie at all, which even at 75 minutes barely feels like a movie. The women are great but the thing feels so cheap and unambitious that it only lives up to its admittedly fantastic title in a couple of scenes (including one memorable bit that predates American Psycho by 10 years). I think I only laughed once at a throwaway shot of a kid sitting at a bar. I was reminded that I am not a big Fred Olen Ray fan.
ReplyDeleteDracula A.D. 1972 (1972)
ReplyDeleteFeaturing Stephanie Beacham who also appeared in horror movies such as And Now the Screaming Starts! (which involves impregnation by ghost) and Inseminoid (which involves impregnation by alien). There's also a brief appearance from Caroline Munro. I wasn't really expecting much out of this movie but what other time than Junesploitation would I have a better excuse to watch a Hammer Dracula movie that was made and takes place in the 70's complete with a 70's exploitation movie score that feels tonally out of place. I can't pretend that this is a good movie, but I did at least have a good time with it.
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ReplyDeleteCastle Freak (1995)
ReplyDeleteJunesploitation is a time for fun horror! This isn't it.
My girl Barbara Crampton gives a knock out performance, as does the always brilliant Jeffery Combs, in this deep, dark, and extremely sad family drama. Oh, and it's also a horror film. And it's unbelievably horrifying. I wasn't prepared for this. This movie stressed me out.
But it's very, very good.
I remember that catching me off guard too, a horror movie that's essentially about a marriage falling apart and a man dealing with his demons. There just happens to be a castle freak involved. I'm a big fan.
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DeleteHow freaking great is Stuart Gordon? The guy blows my mind.
DeleteHe's so underrated. I haven't seen a bad movie of his yet. Dolls is a fun movie if you haven't seen it. I still need to see his Pit and the Pendulum.
DeleteI've now seen this, Reanimator, and From Beyond. Beyond is still my favorite, but I have a bunch more to go.
DeleteReanimator is still my favorite. I think that's just a pretty perfect movie. I've only seen From Beyond once so once I give it a few more looks I bet it will climb up there.
DeleteReanimator is absolutely perfect. From Beyond really freaked me out more when I first saw it because it was so completely unlike anything I'd ever seen. It's even more original and bizaare. Plus, Ken Foree. He makes everything better.
DeleteFrom Beyond rules. Ken Foree is the shit. He's one of my favorite genre actors I could watch him in anything. A big reason why I love Leatherface Chainsaw 3 is because he's in it.
DeleteFinal Girl (2015)
ReplyDeleteFour bros hunt women for sport, but little do they know, their next victim is actually training to be an assassin!
I think the movie does some interesting things in trying to subvert the slasher genre and the whole girls getting killed off one by one thing. But ultimately, to quote F this Movie! "It's fine." (There is one super satisfying kill with an ax, so it's got that going for it) Abigail Breslin does scream at one point though, so I'm counting it for today...
Night Of The Demons (1988)
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I gave this a second look. I watched it awhile back and wasn't crazy about it but this time around boy did I really like it. It's so much fun! The demon effects are really impressive and there's some really creepy stuff like when demon Angela does her dance in front of the fire which is really scary and hypnotic. Whenever you see her floating down the hallways it gives me chills. I'm pretty sure Linnea Quigley is an actual demon so great casting there. I love that it takes place on Halloween so this might be a go to Halloween movie for me now. I remember the vhs cover of this scaring me as a kid and man its a really great cover. Look it up. The music also rocks, the theme is now my ring tone. Great ending to scream queen day.
This was on my list for the month, but then I broke down and watched it late May. It rocks. That dance scene is from another planet.
DeleteNightmare Castle (1965)
ReplyDeleteThe great Barbara Steele, the Italian Scream Queen, plays great dual roles in this atmospheric and enjoyable Gothic horror streaming on Amazon Prime. J.B wrote about this one last year in his Overlook column. Worth seeing.
Re-Animator (1985)
ReplyDeleteThanks for getting to check another classic off the list. Had a lot of fun with this one.
Planet Terror (2007)
ReplyDeleteSort of counts for multiple days, like zombies, and scream queens (Marley Shelton, amirite?), and cars. I've seen some things, but I ain't never seen a one-legged stripper.
Black Sunday (1960, Dir. Mario Bava) - First viewing.
ReplyDeleteA chance to see only my second Bava movie and scream queen Barbara Steele? Sold.
I think this is a movie that will grow on me as my appreciation for Bava grows. It seems to me (and I could be so wrong here) that Bava is a way more subtle filmmaker than an Argento or Fulci. Some really interesting and startling imagery and great black and white photography. I found the pacing to be slow but then again that may be a reflection of the era (ERA) and the gothic style tale.
Scream 2 (1997)
ReplyDeleteOOO SO META!
It was really annoying me at first, but eventually I got over it and just let myself be entertained. That car scene is incredibly tense.
And I thought Lindsay Fünke might show up in a Gangie movie, but I never expected her in a Scream movie. That was pretty distracting.
Halloween H2O: 20 Years Later (1998)
ReplyDeleteJamie Lee Curtis reprises her role as Laurie Strode. Mr. Myers comes back. Killing ensues. She finally stabs/kills him, and he falls off of a balcony. The End. Until it isn't! The last little bit is crazy/non-nonsensical. Overall, it's fairly entertaining. Now that Myers doesn't have a head, this series is concluded. Until it isn't! 5 stars for the decapitation of "evil", rather than his body just disappearing like usual.
Halloween 2 (1981)
ReplyDeleteThis was way better than I expected! The cinematography and camerawork are not as iconic as the first film, but they still feel like an elaboration of the original movie's look. All the background stuff and origins revelations on Michael Myers is pretty weak, but easy to ignore. Still the mean spirited and raw feel of the movie are wonderful. If the first film's climax takes place in the early evening, this is the nauseous 2am that follows.
Halloween 2 (1981)
ReplyDeleteThis was way better than I expected! The cinematography and camerawork are not as iconic as the first film, but they still feel like an elaboration of the original movie's look. All the background stuff and origins revelations on Michael Myers is pretty weak, but easy to ignore. Still the mean spirited and raw feel of the movie are wonderful. If the first film's climax takes place in the early evening, this is the nauseous 2am that follows.
Re-Animator (1985): It's been too long since I had seen this. I forgot how insane it is. Super over-the-top in the best way (reminded me a bit of Dead Alive -- high praise). Also, Barbara Crampton is the best.
ReplyDelete